By Tejiri Ebikeme

Worried by high rate of corruption in the delivery of youth employment and empowerment programmes in Rivers State, 3 youth groups known as Okana, Marine base and Kpor Youth Leadership Networks has tasked the Rivers State government headed by Chief Nyesom Wike on integrating transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of youth employment and empowerment programmes. This was part of the outcomes of the last meetings of the groups in the year 2015 held recently at Kpor in Gokana, Marine base in Phalga and Okana in Abual Odual LGAs in Rivers State.

A cross section of the group in a group photograph

The meeting which was facilitated by Port Harcourt based Non-Governmental Organization known as Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, CEHRD in conjunction with Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme NSRP, a programme of the British Council, was aimed at exploring avenues of ensuring that the youths in the community and its environs are meaningfully engaged through the youth empowerment and employment programs of the government.

Michael Chidozie and Queen Agba, CEHRD’s Project officers who facilitated the meeting on behalf of the organizations disclosed that the meeting was part of a youth empowerment project being implemented in Kpor and other communities in the state by the organization on behalf of the NSRP which is aimed at reducing violence in the society. “It is believed that if the employment and empowerment process is improved and youths are meaningfully and gainfully engaged, they will not have time to indulge in violence or restiveness”, said Michael Chidozie shortly after the meeting.

The organisations also urged the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Youth Employment and Empowerment to strengthen existing laws and monitor recruitment and empowerment processes, to ensure that everyone is given equal opportunity.

The networks disclosed that they are planning advocacy visits to the State Government, the Youth Employment and Empowerment committee in the State House of Assembly and other ministries/agencies and enterprises early 2016 to state their position and lobby the lawmakers to focus on the youths especially in area of making laws that will promote transparency, accountability and inclusivity in youth employment and empowerment during their legislative deliberations and functions.

“We believe that gainful employment for the youth will give them a voice of their own and make them good ambassadors of our dear Rivers state. It will help them to shun violence”, said the chairman of the Kpor Youth Leadership Network, John Barika.

They further called on Heads of Government Agencies to put youths searching for entrepreneurial and technical training in their agenda through a transparent, accountable and inclusive recruitment and empowerment process.

About the Networks

The Kpor, Marine base and Okana Youth Leadership Networks were formed in 2014 by the youths of Kpor, Marine base and Okana communities through Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development with support from Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, NSRP to carry out enlightenment campaigns within the community on the importance of using non-violent actions in the demand for economic opportunities for the youths, enlighten communities on how to key into government’s employment and empowerment programmes, and advocate for an equitable distribution of government programmes within the community, L.G.A and senatorial district.